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Dr. Lyle Micheli

Lyle J. Micheli, M.D., is director of the Division of Sports Medicine at Children’s Hospital and Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, Part Time at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. He received his undergraduate degree from Harvard College in 1962 and his medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 1966. As an undergraduate student, Dr. Micheli was a keen athlete, competing in rugby, gridiron football, and boxing.

He is a past president of the American College of Sports Medicine (president 1989-1990), having also served on the Board of this organization and as Vice-President of Medicine. Since 1988, Dr. Micheli has represented the American College of Sports Medicine in the selection process of the Sport Science Award of the International Olympic Committee President. He served as Chairperson of the Massachusetts Governor’s Committee on Physical Fitness and Sports from 1991 – 2004. In 1998, he was elected to the Executive Board of the International Federation of Sports Medicine (FIMS), where he previously served on the Education Commission since 1990 and as its chairperson from 1995 to 1998. In 2002, Dr. Micheli was elected Vice-President of FIMS.

Dr. Micheli has been the Attending Physician for the Boston Ballet since 1977 and is Medical Consultant to the Boston Ballet School. In 1984, he was appointed to the Board of Directors of the United States Rugby Football Foundation, and he remains an active member of a variety of local, national and international initiatives dedicated to the advancement of sports medicine, sports science, and sports injury prevention. In 2001, Dr. Micheli was elected Chairman of the USA Rugby Medical and Risk Management Committee. In 2002, Dr. Micheli was elected to the Advisory Board of the Bay State Games.

He is the author of over 300 scientific articles and reviews related to sports injuries, particularly in children, scoliosis and other disorders of the spine, and medical problems of dancers. His present research activities are focused on the prevention of sports injuries in children, including assessment of risk factors and injury occurrence, as well as assessment of dysfunctions of the shoulder in children and young adults. The sports that particularly interest him are rowing, ballet, distance running, and rugby football.

Dr. Micheli has edited and authored several major books, including The Sports Medicine Bible (HarperCollins, 1995), which is a Book-of-the-Month Club alternate selection, and is generally considered the definitive trade book in this field. Dr. Micheli is the author of the Sports Medicine Bible for Young Athletes.Dr. Micheli first played rugby as an undergraduate and medical student at Harvard University. He subsequently played prop for Boston Rugby Club, Cleveland Blues, RFC, Washington Rugby Club, and as a player coach for the Mystic Rugby Club.